Hold on strongly
by Nepeace
Summary: A new case and an unexpected outcome ... Warning: FF love
1. Chapter 1

**Hold on strongly …**

Author: Nepeace aka Angelique

Email: Nope none at all

Challenge: Use the band 'Heart' in any way you like, lyrics, song title or a concert. I used the song 'Heaven',

Summary: Hold on strongly … It's dark but not 'THAT' dark.

Rating: R

Warning: F/F love (femmeslash)

Disclaimer: No of course I don't own CBS, CSI or any of the characters, believe me you would have known if they where mine.

**Hold on strongly …**

I was bending over some evidence in an alley when I heard a popping sound, followed by a high pitched scream that broke through the night; which sounded almost inhuman. I quickly got up and stepped backward into the darkness with my back against the wall as I released my gun from it's holder on my hip. I glanced around the corner. My blood was pumping through my veins, my breath hitched as I saw what had happened in the alley. Catherine was lying on the street in the glow of the lights from an obscure club. As the light flickered I could see her chest rise and fall rapidly, blood flowed from a wound in her shoulder.

The thing that scared me most was that the man who shot her was standing over her, his gun still aimed at her. She looked up at the man, trying desperately to catch her breath. I quickly approach the man hidden in the dark shadows, walking slowly through the darkness I stumbled over a bottle alerting the man. Who immediately turned around and fired a couple of shots; two imploded into the wall besides me. While the third grazed my arm, the pain was excruciating but as soon as it started it stopped. The adrenaline pumped through my veins, blinding me from the danger that my own life was in. I returned fire, my knees buckled as the pain coursed through me and the shot hit the man in his stomach.

Blood trickled down my arm, as I pushed myself of the wall I cautiously walk towards the man who is lying on the ground holding his stomach as blood poured through his hands. He was screaming out in pain, I was standing above him my gun aimed at him as I kicked his gun backwards to the wall.

"If you wanna live you better shut up right now and do not move a muscle." I stepped backwards to Catherine not leaving the man out of my sight, not even for a millisecond. I kneeled down next to Catherine as I put my gun down next to her and reached for my phone with my right hand on my left hip. My other arm hurt too much to use it. I flipped it open and called the emergency services, and reported our situation and asked for back up and an ambulance.

I pushed my hand onto Catherine's wound applying pressure to stop the bleeding, she groaned when I did that. She breathed heavily; a pained expression covered her face. It took her a couple of minutes to regain her breath and strength to say something. She reached her hand up and touched my arm; "You're … hurt." It was not a question, but a statement.

"Yeah, but don't worry about me." I smiled weakly at Catherine.

"Sara, tell Linds … that I … love her. I'm sorry …" Catherine closed her eyes.

"_Hang on, hang on strong to me!_" I pleaded to Catherine afraid that she was giving up. "I don't want to tell your daughter that, you have to tell her yourself." Tears escaped my eyes; I didn't want to tell that little girl again that one of her parents died. I was there the first time and that is bad enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

"Catherine! Please hang on, listen to the sirens they are almost here!" I sighed deeply, trying to stop the fear that was controlling my mind; "We are almost saved! Hold on and we can make sure that you can tell your little girl that you love her yourself."

"We have to!" I whispered, a sob escaped from my throat while I swallowed hard to push it aside. My voice sounded raspy as I spoke up again; "I can't be the one to tell your little girl that I couldn't help you. Please hold on!" I said as tears fell from my eyes. "I can't, I won't!" I whispered the words nothing more then a whisper.

I closed my eyes as tears threatened to spill. As I opened them again I saw that Catherine's eyes fluttered open, before she closed them again. I checked for a pulse, it was faint but still there.

"Catherine? Cath open your eyes?" Tears flowed from my eyes when I got no response. I bend down, hanging my head; "Hold on strongly for Lindsey, she needs you! I need you as well, I love you …" I silently confessed. I realised what I had said when the words had already left my mouth. At that moment a police car rounded the corner and stopped with screeching tires. Closely followed by an ambulance and a CSI SUV, and suddenly the scene was filled with people, asking all kinds of questions and pushing me aside when I don't immediately react.

I grab the EMT's jacket pleading to him to save Catherine; "Please you gotta save her, she has a daughter who already lost her father she can't loose her mother also!"

"Miss, you have to get out of the way so I can do my job." The EMT demanded; "Please step back, and give us some room." At that moment a hand was placed on my shoulder.

"Sara, honey come on get up." The low dark voice of my colleague sounded in my ear, I turned around and looked into the light green eyes. Eyes that normally sparkled with energy and which looked brightly now seemed a faint image of that, he opened his arms and pulled me into his embrace.

"Sara, honey are you hurt?" Warrick asked as he looked at the blood covering my sleeve and hands. I looked down at my hands, covered in my blood as well as Catherine's. My hands where trembling now that the adrenaline was subsiding. Warrick held me close as her called out to Grissom; "Grissom, we need a paramedic here! Sara's shot as well!"

One of the EMT's immediately rushed over to check out my wound, before I stopped him. "No!" I called out; "Catherine needs help, I can wait! It's just a scratch."

"Miss please sit down so I can look at your wound."

"Don't you dare touch me, you have to help her!" I said pointing at Catherine.

"Sara, listen to me, we send this paramedic to Catherine and but then you let me take a look at that arm of yours and at least let me wrap a bandage around it so that the bleeding will stop."

"Okay!" I shrugged; "Okay I give in." I sat down as Warrick turned back to the paramedic and asked for a pair of scissors and a bandage. He turned back to me and kneeled down next to me as he started working on my arm. He cut my sleeve above the wound and gently pulled it down my arm. Then he got a bottle of water out of the car and poured the water over my arm. I winced as the cold water poured down my arm.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3 **

"How's Catherine?" I tentatively asked Grissom who had been observing the paramedics that where working on Catherine silently from a distance. He looked up, disturbed from his apparent train of thought.

"They will bring her to the hospital soon, they are doing everything they can." He stated in his 'Grissom' manner, before he turned back to the place where Catherine was, still on the ground with two EMT's working on her. The other two EMT's who arrived later on the scene where working on the man and where at the moment putting him onto a gurney. One of the police officers got into the ambulance and drove with the man and the EMT's to the hospital.

"That helps …" I answer sarcastically.

"They are stabilizing her before they bring her to the hospital, she lost a lot of blood and she is unconscious but she has a good chance of survival. That is all I know!" Grissom said turning back to me looking straight at me as he took his glasses of and rubbed his temple. "Get in the car, Warrick will drive you to the hospital." Grissom demanded even though he knew that I could be stubborn as hell and there was no way that I was leaving Catherine here and let Warrick drive me to the hospital. I already gave in when I let him put a bandage on my wound.

"No, I can't I am going in with Catherine." I said before I followed the EMT's who finally began to move Catherine to the bus. Catherine moaned in pain as the paramedics placed her on the gurney. The paramedic who spoke to me earlier wanted to stop me as I followed them, but he quickly gave in the second he saw the determined look on my face; "Get in the bus, sit down on that chair and don't do anything unless I tell you too, okay?"

I nodded and quickly got in as I sat down they pushed the gurney into the back of the bus and Warrick stepped up to close the doors. He slammed the door as soon as they where locked and the EMT in the front immediately left the scene, speeding under the high pitched sounds of the sirens and the lights.

I looked at Catherine, her skin was white as a sheet. Her clothes, or what was left of them, drenched with blood from her wound. I smelled the rusty smell of blood, and I remembered the first time I smelled it. It was when my mother killed my dad, and just like back then I couldn't do a thing about what happened but nevertheless I felt responsible. I was concerned but the EMT told me that Catherine was stable at the moment.

We arrive at the hospital minutes later, as the EMT's stop the bus in front of the entrance a couple of doctors rush out and take the gurney over, The EMT's told the doctors the details; "Catherine Willows, forty something year old female, gunshot wound to the chest in close proximity. BP is …" The rest of the sounds drowned in noises of the hospital as I followed them in. They helped the doctors to put Catherine on the bed in the examination room before they drove their gurney out of the examination room. "I need someone to check this lady out as well, she refused to let us take a look at her wound until we got that lady to the hospital."

"Okay, let me check you out while my colleagues help your friend. Could you maybe help me fill out the forms for her as well?" I nodded silently as the young doctor took me to another examination room and told me to sit down on the bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Thanks for all the kind reviews that I received for this story. I try to get the next chapter for 'Don't close your eyes' out by tomorrow! CSIskatergirl thank for that really kind review, I am glad that you like all the other stories as well and the website.

**Part 4**

The doctor anaesthetized my arm before she started cleaning out the wound. "You where very lucky, you know that it's only a flesh wound. There is no muscle tissue harmed and this will heal up perfectly, I just need to stitch it up a little and you are all done."

The doctor handed me the papers and asked me to fill out the details as far as I knew them for Catherine and my own, while she went off to find out how Catherine was doing. She came back a couple of minutes later; "I checked up on Miss Willows, and the doctors stabilized her and they are about to send her off to the operating room to extract the bullet." The doctor send me a small smile; "The doctors who are working on her think that she makes a really good change of survival. Do you know if her family has been notified?"

"Well, I guess that my supervisor handled that, he arrived at the scene before we where brought into the hospital. Am I free to go, or do I have to sign the release papers?"

"Well I just want you to wear a sling, and do not overuse that arm and no work for at least a week. Come back next week and let someone check that arm, and they will get the stitches removed. If the wound gets inflamed you have to come back immediately."

"Okay, I will?" I nodded; "Where can I find Catherine?"

"They are bringing her up to the operating room, which is on the second floor there is a waiting area where you can wait there if you want to. The operation might take several hours, and you can ask for more information at the reaction."

As I stepped out of the examination room I almost run over by Lindsey who clamped herself to me. "Sara! Have you talked to my mom, how is she will she be alright? When can I see her? Where is she?"

"Lindsey!" An older woman scolded at the little girl; "Don't run off like that! And don't bother that lady!"

"Grams, it's Sara she was with my mom when it happened." The older woman walked up to me, her hand extended.

"I am Lily, Catherine's mom. Do you know anything about Catherine's condition? We haven't found anyone yet who could tell us anything more."

"I am sorry to meet you under these circumstances, but I am Sara Sidle one of Catherine's co-workers." I sighed before I continued resting my hand on Lindsey's shoulder. "To answer your questions sweetie, your mom was shot in the shoulder, she lost a lot of blood and lost her consciousness before the ambulance arrived at the scene. The EMT's stabilized her at the scene and brought her here. I don't know what they did when we came here because I needed some stitches myself but the doctor that took care of me checked up on your mom and said that she is doing fine and that they will bring her up to the operating room shortly to remove the bullet."

At that moment the doors to one of the examination rooms swung open and a gurney was pushed out. Catherine was still unconscious; hooked up to all kinds of machines and while fluids where dripping rapidly through the wires into Catherine's veins.

Lindsey darted towards the gurney, before her grandmother could stop her she was walking besides the gurney; "Mom! I love you, you're going too be okay, right?" Lindsey asked softly; it was a heartbreaking scene, she was told that she couldn't come with her mother before the gurney was rushed into the elevator. Lindsey was standing in front of the closed doors looking completely lost. Her grandmother quickly rushed to her and wrapped her in her arms, before they slowly walked back towards where I was standing. Seconds later Grissom, Warrick and Nick came through the hallway from the other side of the corridor.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **Yes, Catherine has a motheryou could see her in the season 5 episode 'Weeping Willows' which is also the episode in which we can see Alan Rosenberg, Marg Helgenberger's real life husband.

**Part 5 **

A surgeon in green scrubs entered the waiting area; "Where can I find the relatives of Mrs. Willows?" He asked while he looked down at the chart. Lilly quickly got up and stepped forward, Lindsey clung top her hand. Bravely looking up at the doctor, everyone in the room could see her other hand clutched in a tight fist shaking.

"Is your name Sara?" The surgeon asked while he looked at Lilly and Lindsey.

"No, that is one of her colleagues." Lilly said as she turned around and pointed at me. I got up and joined the small group of people that where standing in front of the surgeon. Lindsey instantly grabbed my hand holding on for her dear life. I looked down at her.

"Is my mom, going to be alright?" Lindsey asked her voice barely above a whisper, thick with tears.

The doctor kneeled down to her level; "Yes, Lindsey your mom will be alright. She has to recover from the gunshot wound but she will be one 100 percent alright in a few weeks time." The doctor cleared his throat and got up he gently grabbed Lindsey's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the brave little girl.

"She is a feisty woman; we went into the operating room and retrieved the bullet. She is currently at the ICU and if her condition stays the same she will be moved to a regular room later today. She is pretty out of it, she lost a lot of blood and the sedation isn't fully worked out. But she kept asking for her daughter and for Sara." He waited for a second before he continued; "Normally we don't allow children into the ICU, and no more then two visitors but I'll make an exception in this situation."

"The others will have to wait till, she is moved to a regular room and you can see her during visitation hours." Grissom and the others nodded, the doctor gestured to us and guided us through the hallway towards the ICU. "Lindsey, your mother is hooked up to a couple of machines; one is to check her heartbeat. She has an IV to give her some fluids because she lost so much blood and she has a drain from her wound, the drain sucks fluids from her wound like blood for example. It's all normal so don't worry about that. If you want to know anything, feel free to ask anything and I will explain it to you."

Lindsey nodded, and breathed in deeply. "Is my mom awake?"

"I don't know she might have fallen asleep. Let's find out?" Lindsey nodded and we followed the doctor who opened the door to the ICU. We followed him to one of the beds in the back. Catherine was lying in the bed, still white as a sheet and her eyes closed. I hesitantly stepped closer still keeping my distance from Lindsey and Lilly who where standing besides the bed. Lindsey gently touched her mother's hand. Catherine's eyes fluttered open, but she quickly closed them when she saw the light.

"Linds, baby … I'm so glad to see you …" Catherine said, her voice raspy as she cleared her throat.

"Mom, I was so scared!" Lindsey whispered as a tear stained her face.

"I'm sorry … Baby!" Catherine's hand held on to Lindsey's.

"Catherine, don't strain yourself so much you have to rest." Catherine's mother brought in.

"Mom, where is … Sara?" Catherine asked softly. I quickly stepped forward into Catherine's vision field.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6 **

"I'm here." I said as I cleared my throat, Catherine turned her head slowly as she looked in my direction; she send me a weak smile.

"Lindsey, honey I want to talk to Sara for a minute."

"Just for a couple of minutes, I want you to rest for some time before we move you to a different room." The doctor who had returned to the room brought in.

"Common' Lindsey give your mom a kiss so that she can talk to Sara, we can visit her later today I am sure!" Lilly says as she takes Lindsey's hand.

But Lindsey pulls her hand from her grandmother's hand and gives Catherine a gentle hug and a kiss before she steps backward. "Bye mom, see you later! Love you!"

"Bye honey … I love you too!" Catherine said softly, while her hand held onto her daughter's small hand. Lindsey seemed so small, so little suddenly she was a little girl who needed her mother. No longer was she the teenager that was rebelling against her mother, like she had been doing lately. Lindsey, Lilly and the doctor stepped outside of the room; Catherine watched them leave before she spoke up. "Sara, thank you …"

"Shh! It's okay …" I shushed Catherine; "I only did what I had to do."

"I really thought that…" I grabbed a hold of Catherine's hand; stroking my thumb over her hand in a soothing gesture.

"Don't, don't say it! You'll be alright." I let go of her hand and turned my back to her.

"Thank you Sara … thank you!" Catherine said I turned around and smiled at her; she sent me a genuine smile.

"I'll come by later …" Catherine nodded but didn't say a word.

I walked back to the waiting area where the others where still waiting, they immediately got up to ask me the same questions that they had probably asked Lilly just minutes before. "She'll be okay!" I said as I sat down in one of the plastic chairs in the waiting area. My whole body was trembling as the full effects of the afternoon took advantage of the situation. Warrick kneeled down in front of me and laid his hand on my thigh.

"Sara, are you okay?" I shuddered under his touch, not because he touched me but because at this particular moment I realised for the very first time in what kind of a situation we had been and that we both could have been hurt a lot more.

"Yes I am, it's … just the whole situation." Warrick got up and took of his CSI jacket; he draped it around my shoulders. "Common' let me take you home for a while, I'll stay with you and I drive you back here later today when you got some rest. And after they moved Catherine to a different room." I silently nodded feeling suddenly really tired.

"Lilly, what about you are you staying here or can I drive you home as well." Warrick asked as he looked at the elderly woman, who looked down at Lindsey her grand child.

"I'm actually waiting on Jennifer my other daughter; she is driving in from out of town. She should be here any minute." Lilly answered while she looked up at the clock. "Thank you, for the offer but I think that we better wait for Jenny."

"We are staying here as well." Nick stated; "Well call if anything changes." He said to Warrick, Grissom nodded in agreement, they both sat down on the plastic chairs but before Nick got a change to get comfortable Lindsey sat down beside him and leaned against his arm. He quietly moved her small, frail looking body and wrapped his arm around her, in an attempt to comfort her. Lindsey looked up at him and smiled weakly.

"Okay!" Warrick nodded, as he wrapped his arm around me and helped me up. He walked me down to the car where he helped me get into the car and put the seatbelt around me. He quickly walked around the car and got into it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

I tried to open the door but my hand was shaking too much. Warrick took the keys from me and opened the door. He guided me to the kitchen and opened the fridge. He poured some juice into two glasses and handed me one; "Now let's get you to bed."

Warrick followed me into the bedroom where he helped me get undressed. Usually I would have been embarrassed if I needed help but I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to do it myself if I had to do it. I would have dropped down on the bed fully dressed and I would have tried to get some sleep.

He put down the cover and stepped up to the window; he closed the curtains and walked to the door. I noticed that he left the door open a crack and retreated to the living room. The sounds of the television played softly in the living room as I drifted off to a restless sleep. I woke a couple of times; one time I bathing in sweat, breathing heavily.

Images of the past night flash before my eyes as I sit up in the bed and breathe heavily. I swallow hard to try and melt the lump past my throat. Warrick opened the door to the bedroom just before I could get up. "Are you okay?" His warm voice said softly.

"Yeah, I am. I am just having a pounding headache …" I said as I tried to keep my eyes open but it hurt too much. I leaned my head in my hands. "I was having a nightmare, I saw what happened and …" I sighed deeply as my heart rate slowly got back to normal.

"Do you have some Advil or something?"

I nodded; "Yeah, in the cabinet in the bath room."

Seconds later Warrick came back carrying a glass of water and the box with the pain meds. "Try to get some more sleep, we can see Catherine at four in the afternoon it's only noon right now."

I nodded and took the pain medication and water from him; "If you need anything just call out for me, okay Sara?" He asked.

A couple of hours later I got up from the bed and retreated to the bathroom. I emerged 30 minutes later washed and dressed the best I could only using one hand. I sat down at the kitchen counter, Warrick had managed to prepare something to eat with the few supplies that I had in my kitchen. He hands me a plate with some sandwiches and a mug of coffee. The hot coffee tastes good as it hits my tongue.

"Are you ready to go back to see Catherine?" Warrick asks tentatively, while he studied my reaction like he would study a piece of evidence or a suspect. He was eyeing me to see the deeper meaning behind my answers as he asked the questions.

"Yes I want to see how she's doing." Warrick nodded and took a bite from his sandwich, he slowly chew away the hump of bread before he replied.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay; my arm hurts although the painkiller numbed the pain. But don't worry about me I'll be okay." Warrick nodded still eyeing me to see if I was telling the truth. "I'm okay!" I said to reassure him.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **To answer Jellicos' question that at the end of chapter six (which is now gone) where actually the notes that my beta/proof reader made on my story. Those where here explanations on my mistakes ... lol oops! Well at least now you know that I really try my best to make my stories as good as I possibly can with the help of Sasha my awesome beta.

**Part 8**

"Just sit down in the waiting area next to the door and I'll be right there after I park the car." I nodded as I got out of the car and closed the door behind me. The sliding doors in front of me opened and I stepped inside; I sat down on one of the plastic chairs and waited patiently for Warrick to arrive. Minutes later he stepped into the waiting area and walked up with me.

Together we walked to the elevator and waited until the doors slide open on the second floor. We're Catherine's new room was; the doctor gave permission to move her to a normal room during the day. Warrick knocked on the door to Catherine's room before he opened the door and let me pass.

Catherine turned to the door, she actually looked better then she did a couple of hours ago. But she still smiled weakly; Warrick closed the few steps between the door and the bed and bend down over Catherine. He kissed her lightly on the cheek; "Hi Catherine, how are you feeling?" His warm voice said softly.

"I'm okay, I feel numbed from the painkillers and the blood loss but I'll be okay."

Warrick nodded; "Where are Lindsey and your mother?"

"I sent them home for a while; I needed some time to think and get some rest. They will be back later tonight with my sister. Besides I asked my mother to pick up some things for me." Warrick talked to Catherine about regular topics, about Lindsey avoiding the shooting, knowing that both Catherine and I would be talking about that for quite some time; during the investigation from the day shift. After thirty minutes he got ready to get up. All this time I had been silent listening to them talking only answering when I was asked a question. Warrick closed the door behind him; Catherine's voice broke the silence in the room. "Thank you!" Catherine said gratitude showing on her face.

"I didn't do much all I did was shoot the perp and put pressure on the wound, that's all really. Anyone could have done that."

"Yes Sara, anyone could have done that, but you did it!" Catherine sighed; "You where the one who told me that I would make it, you where the one that gave me hope when I had almost given up. When you said that you wouldn't tell Lindsey that I love her I was mad, I was so mad, but you where right, when you said that I would be able to tell her that myself."

"I'm glad that you think that I was right." I sighed and looked down; "But to be honest I wasn't so sure that you would make it when I said that. Especially when you lost consciousness; I thought that the ambulance would be too late." I got up and stood in front of the window, I stared outside hoping that Catherine wouldn't see the tears that where threatening to fall from my eyes. "I should be going, you should get some rest." I said as I turned back to the bed.

Catherine grabbed my hand before I could turn to leave; "I heard what you said this morning!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9 **

I stopped dead in my tracks; I swallowed hard fearing what was coming. I tried to speak but I couldn't say a word, the words where stuck in my throat. I closed my eyes and faced the wall I couldn't look at Catherine.

"Sara?" The room turned to an eerie silence.

"You heard … what I said …" I said my voice cracking until it was nothing more then a whisper.

"I did." I turned around and looked at Catherine.

"Sara, I …"

"Please don't! Don't say it!" I nodded my head slowly. "I am sorry that I said that. I was desperate; I was so afraid that you wouldn't make it. I couldn't be the one who had to inform Lindsey that her mom didn't survive. I better go now …"

"Sara, stop talking!" Catherine said with as much force as she was able to say it. "I send my mother, sister and Lindsey home because I needed to talk to you. If I didn't want to talk about it I wouldn't have brought it up if you hadn't. So please sit down!"

"Catherine, you should rest. The stress isn't good for you, you gotta get better." I sighed; "I shouldn't have come, I'm sorry."

"Sara, do you really thing that I will stop thinking about this if you walk out that door?" She was silent for a second. "I can't stop thinking about what you said; those words have been playing through my mind all day."

I stood perplexed I wasn't sure what to do or what to say. It was as if my mind went blank, totally blank. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out so I closed it again and stared blankly in front of me. "Sara, please sit down?" Catherine asked.

I obliged to what she asked and sat down on the chair that had been previously occupied by Warrick. Catherine figured that it would be better to ask Sara bluntly if she meant what she had said or not. That way she at least knew what was going on or if she had just been imagining things these past weeks, months even. More then once had she seen that Sara had been gazing at her and had no idea what she had said to her. When confronted she would always say that she was thinking about the most recent case that she was working on but she never said what she had been thinking about; she always mumbled a lame excuse. She had also noticed Sara staring at her and quickly turning away or averting her eyes when she noticed that someone was looking in her direction.

"Did you mean what you said?" Catherine asked as the earlier said words repeated in her mind once again; _"Catherine? Cath open your eyes? Hold on strongly for Lindsey, she needs you! I need you as well, I love you …" _

"Yes …" was the only thing that I could say. "Yes, I meant it … I am sorry, I'll leave now."

I wished that I could disappear into nothingness, but my silent prayer wasn't heard. I studied my hand, and fumbled with my sling. I became aware of the pain in my arm and the pounding headache that was setting in once again.

"Sara, don't be so shy. I like you a lot I just wanted to know if you meant it or if it was just something you said in the heat of the moment before I go on and make a total ass out of myself."

I was stunned, I was sure that I was making things up; that I was hearing whatever I wanted to hear. It took me a while to realize that Catherine meant what she had said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

"So you like me?" I asked still a little unsure to afraid to keep my hopes up.

"Yes I like you a lot, so what about you?"

"Well like, doesn't quite cover what I feel for you to be honest." I said softly why my cheeks coloured a dark shade of red. Catherine flashed me one of those amazing smiles which makes me go weak inside. I smile back and see something in her eyes that I have never seen before, I wonder if I just never noticed it before or if it is something new. I also see something else which concerns me more, Catherine looks exhausted and I know that I probably shouldn't be here.

I get up and stand besides the bed; "I better go home, you need your rest and I probably do too." I say as I raise my hand up to my head and draw little circles at the side of my head to subdue the pounding headache. "I can come by later if you want me too?"

"Lindsey and my mother will be here later on. But there is no one coming tomorrow morning, I told Lindsey that she had to go to school and my sister will be working all day. Would you like to stop by then?" Catherine asked while she bit on her lip and looked up at me questioning.

"I'll be here; I make sure that I'll get here." I bend down and kissed Catherine as I was about to pull away; she hooked her good arm around the back of my neck and pulled me closer.

"You're not getting away that easy!" She said against my lips as she deepened the kiss.

I smiled at Catherine as I stepped away from her still holding her hand in mine. I kept holding on for as long as I could. "See you tomorrow morning." Catherine said as only our fingertips where linked together.

"Yes, see you tomorrow." I said with a huge grin covering my face I walked out into the hallway. Even though I had still a pounding headache and a throbbing pain in my arm I felt as if I could face the whole world.

"What are you smiling about?" Warrick asked as I stepped into the waiting area where he had been waiting on me.

"Nothing really, Catherine and I just had a good chat." I smile at him genuinely. "Could you maybe drop me off at the mall, I need to buy some stuff."

"Yeah sure no problem, do you want me to come with you?"

"No you better get home and see if you can get some sleep before you have to be at work again." Warrick and I walked side by side down the hallway and out of the building to the car.

"But you gotta promise me to take it slow and to get some sleep."

"I promise, I'll get some sleep rather sooner then later but I have to get some groceries." Warrick drove the car down to the small shopping mall close to my house. After a little discussion with Warrick I convinced him that I would be okay and got out of the car. First I went to the grocery store and got the much needed food to survive for a couple of days. No matter how many times I told myself that I would start cooking for myself instead of ordering food I was still ordering it no matter what. But this time would be different, things where about to change.

I asked the cashier if the purchased items could be delivered to my house. He quickly scribbled down the address and promised me that they would be delivered in a couple of hours. I stepped outside and went to the flower shop, where I ordered a large bouquet of flowers, which I let them send to the hospital with a small card attached to it.

I walked home; which was just down the street. I opened the door to my apartment and sat down on the couch with a glass of juice and some chocolate chip cookies. An hour later the bell rang and I got up to answer the door; my groceries where delivered and I unpacked them while I watched the rest of the documentary on Discovery channel. Before I headed to bed too catch up on some sleep; and in the hope that the night would pass sooner if I fell asleep early.


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

I woke up early; which was a good thing because it would give me more then enough time to get dressed and prepare something to eat. All of my movements where slow and calculated so that the pain wouldn't be too bad. I put on some jeans and struggled with the button for a while. Next was the struggle with my blouse and the small buttons; but it was easiest to pull on without hurting too much.

I prepared some crackers with slices of cheese and called a cab as I drank my coffee. Soon I was standing outside my building waiting for the cab which arrived ten minutes later then said. I quickly opened the door and got in; "To the Desert Springs Hospital please!" The cab driver looked at me; before he turned around and immediately floored the gas pedal and sped towards the hospital. I wondered if he thought that there was some kind of an emergency or if this was his normal driving style.

I walked down the long hallways and staircases until I finally reached Catherine's room; I smiled and nodded at one of the nurses at the nurse's station in the middle of the hallway before I continued to Catherine's room. I knocked on the door and stepped inside when Catherine answered. "Good morning, Catherine!" I said with a broad smile covering my face; I smiled even more when I noticed the large bouquet of flowers on the bed stand besides Catherine.

"Hi sweetie, how are you?" I ask a little uncertain of what to do. Catherine smiles at me, and motions me to come closer. She takes my hand, and with more strength then you would imagine from a person who had been shot a day ago she pulls me to her until I am close enough to kiss her.

"Thank you, sweetie." Catherine said and answered my kiss. "Thanks for the flowers and thanks for coming by."

"No problem, I brought you something else." I said as I handed Catherine the small stack of magazines among them a copy a 'Cosmopolitan'. The first item of the magazine I had ever bought, but I knew that Catherine wouldn't appreciate a science magazine as much as I would appreciate them.

"Thank you!" She said as she scanned the headers on the front page.

"Well it ain't much but I hope that you like them." Catherine smiled at me and patted on the bed next to her while she made some space for me.

"Honey to be honest, these are great no one else gave me something to read all I got where flowers and chocolate no one thought that I would like to have something to occupy my mind." Catherine guided my face towards her, her hand softly resting on my cheek. "Thank you honey that was really considerate …" She leaned in and kissed me softly, I was glad that I was sitting cause I am sure that my legs wouldn't have been able to support me.

Catherine leaned against my shoulder; she sighed happily and closed her eyes. A smile playing on her lips while her fingers where entangled in mine. "Are you tired?" I asked Catherine, full well knowing what the answer would be and what it should have been. Of course she was tired but as always she was also a strong woman who wouldn't say that she was tired. She's not one to complain.

"No, I'm not tired …" Catherine slurred the words with a happy sigh.

"Cath, if you need sleep I can go home." Catherine sat back up; looking at me with a surprised face.

"I don't want you to go, please stay with me especially after that confession of yours. I just want to hold you, be with you" I smiled at Catherine; I can't remember if I ever felt better before in my life. I couldn't come up with one single moment. This moment right here was so simple and yet it felt so good, so right.


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

I woke up, feeling a weight resting against my side; I opened my eyes but quickly closed them when I was blinded by the harsh daylight. One thing was for sure I wasn't in my own bed. I opened my eyes again shielding them with my hand this time. I gaze through my eyelashes at the woman besides me; the sun playing with her strawberry blonde hair. I smile as I thought about the earlier events.

It all seemed so easy; I told her that I need her and that I love her thinking that she was unconscious. And now the tables had turned, even though the events that it had happened to where devastating and could have turned out really wrong but at this moment I was almost tempted to say that I was glad that the crime scene turned out so the way it had.

Catherine stirred and woke up, immediately bringing her hand up to her eyes covering them to block out the harsh sunlight. She immediately got up from my shoulder and leaned back in the pillow. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep."

"Don't worry about it sweetie, I just woke up a couple of minutes ago myself. Besides I could get used to waking up with you leaning against me." I smiled at Catherine; "I wanted to ask you something?"

"Okay, tell me what do you want to ask me?" Catherine asked as her hand held onto the hem of my blouse.

"I would like to take you on a date with me, when this is all over." I looked at Catherine, watching her reaction intensely. Her eyes sparkled; a smile played on her lips as she reached up and kissed me. "Catherine, will you go on a date with me?"

"Yes, sweetie I will go on a date with you." The moment she said yes my mind went blank. I had been waiting for this moment for so long. My brain which usually worked in overdrive wasn't even able to form a whole sentence. I just stared at her, my face in a goofy grin. Catherine smiled at me and reached her hand up; she placed her hand on my cheek. "I would love to go out with you on a date." Catherine repeated the words waiting till my mind registered what she was saying. It took me a minute but it felt like a lifetime before I was able to react.

"Good, I would love to take you on a date." At that moment the door swings open and Warrick looks around the corner for a second he isn't sure what to do. React on what he sees or act as if nothing out of the normal is going on.

"Hi Catherine and Sara," he said with a smirk. "How are you both?"

"Good." We both mumbled in unison, trying everything to avoid seeing the smirk on Warrick's face.

"You both look better as well, I am glad that you are both feeling fine." Warrick says as he gives Catherine a peck on her cheek. I get off the bed and take a seat in the window sill, across from the bed. He's sitting on Catherine's other side. I stay quite just looking at the interaction between them. I know that they are good friends and he will probably ask what that was all about the second I leave the room. But still I am craving for a cup of coffee.

"I am going to go and see if I can get a cup of coffee somewhere. I'll be right back." I announce before I get up and leave the room. I stroll down the hallways and finally reach a small waiting area with a coffee machine. I sit down with a mug of steaming hot coffee thinking about these past few days and how much can change in just a couple of hours. I can't help but also think about the possibility of this being real … or if it's just one big mistake.


End file.
